The US Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives in the mid-term elections, dealing a serious blow to President Donald Trump.
Taking control of the lower chamber of Congress for the first time in eight years will enable Democrats to thwart the president’s agenda.
But Mr. Trump’s Republicans have retained control of the US Senate.
Tuesday’s vote was seen as a referendum on a polarising president, even though he is not up for re-election till 2020.
Female candidates stole the spotlight in the House in an election cycle that had been billed as the Year of the Woman.
The BBC’s US partner network CBS projects the Democrats will win the 23 seats they need to take over the lower chamber of Congress. Americans voted for all 435 seats in the House.
The Democrats can now launch investigations into Mr. Trump’s administration and business affairs, from tax returns to potential conflicts of interest, while blocking his legislative agenda.
New York Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is projected to become the youngest ever congresswoman, at 29 years old.
Democrats Ilhan OImar and Rashida Tlaib are also expected to make history in Minnesota and Michigan respectively as the first Muslim women elected to Congress.
Democrats Sharice Davids of Kansas and Debra Haaland from New Mexico are set to become the first Native American women elected to Congress.
Tremendous success tonight. Thank you to all!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 7, 2018
Ms. Davids, a lesbian former cage-fighter, is also the first openly gay representative from Kansas.
Republicans may expand their majority in the upper chamber of Congress, where they currently hold sway by 51 seats to 49.
Three Democratic incumbents – Joe Donnelly in Indiana, Claire McCaskill in Missouri and Heidi Heitkamp in North Dakota – suffered defeat to Republican challengers.
And Republican Texas Senator Ted Cruz fended off a strong challenge by Democratic rising star Beto O’Rourke.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Mr. Trump had “closed the deal” for Republican businessman Mike Braun in Indiana.
Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Bob Menendez held on after tough campaigns in West Virginia and New Jersey respectively, but it was cold comfort.
Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, has won election to US Senate from Utah, as expected.
Democrats were always facing an uphill battle in the Senate this year because they were defending 26 seats, while just nine Republican seats were up for grabs.
In Florida, left-wing progressive Andrew Gillum has conceded after an ugly battle against a Trumpist conservative, Ron DeSantis.
Jared Polis is projected to win the Colorado gubernatorial race, becoming the first openly gay man to be a US governor.
New York Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo – sometimes spoken of as a 2020 presidential contender – is expected to cruise to a third term.
Democratic candidate Stacey Abrams could become the first female African-American governor in the US if she can beat Republican opponent Brian Kemp after a bitter campaign.
